Four hours after Syracuse’s pro day started, Rob Long entered SU’s Iocolano-Petty Football Wing fashionably late. Due to a month and a half of intensive chemotherapy treatment that ended just four weeks ago, half of his hair was gone. Still, Long brimmed to the assembled media shortly after 5 p.m. Wednesday with his unwavering trademark smile and a surefire confidence that he has serious National Football League aspirations.

When Long learned of his brain cancer on Dec. 2, he said he never thought his participation in Syracuse’s pro day wouldn’t occur. Not even during five days a week of chemotherapy. And on Wednesday, in front of ‘eight to 10’ scouts, the former Syracuse punter said he felt he proved to the NFL personnel he is worth their time and interest.

‘There wasn’t any time where I thought I wouldn’t be able to,’ Long said of taking part in pro day. ‘Even though it is not the typical path people take, I don’t have a problem with it.

‘I think some of (the scouts) were happily surprised with what they saw,’ Long added. ‘And I think that was my goal going into it, to prove to myself that I can still punt and I can still kick. That I was ready to do it and ready to compete at the next level for a job.’

At Syracuse’s pro day Wednesday, 16 former SU players worked out for scouts from 26 different NFL teams. And Long went about his pro day as if he were any of the other 15 players. Shortly after 5 p.m., with his parents Bob and Mary Jo watching from just feet away, Long addressed the assembled media for the first time in Syracuse since the conclusion of his chemotherapy.

Long spoke sparingly about his cancer and more about his punting. He said he won’t find out until April whether or not the cancer is gone, but on Wednesday his focus was exclusively on his pro day performance. When reflecting on the day, he spoke as if the cancer didn’t factor in at all. The cliché rookie-hopeful responses surfaced. Long became just another NFL prospect.

‘I really had three solid weeks of working out to get to this day,’ Long said. ‘And when you get three weeks for one of the most important days of your life, you try to make the best of it.

‘I think it went pretty well. I’m never satisfied. There is always room for improvement. I think it was good enough to hopefully warrant a second look from some teams.’

SU assistant athletics director for strength and conditioning Will Hicks said those second looks will come for Long. Hicks oversaw the day’s events, which took place at Manley Field House between 1 and 3 p.m., and were highlighted by the workouts of Long and former SU players Delone Carter, Derrell Smith, Doug Hogue and Ryan Bartholomew. The workouts were closed to the media and the public.

But Hicks and SU had to make special accommodations for Long. Because Long’s punts were hitting the Manley Field House roof, Long and the scouts had to move shop over to the Carrier Dome.

‘Rob is at the Dome right now with our snappers, and he is very excited,’ Hicks said at about 4 p.m. ‘He looks great. The scouts were very excited to see him perform today. He has got some individual workouts set up with teams.’

Long, who finished his Orange career as the program’s second all-time leading punter with 11,374 yards, said he felt ‘much more confident and fluid’ in his motions and ball striking Wednesday. He added he doesn’t feel he is kicking as well as he did as a sophomore and junior at SU. But he is convinced he will soon get back there — and push further.

‘I don’t think I am where I was — yet,’ Long said. ‘But I think I will get there and surpass that.’

On his one and only day, Smith happy with outing

Will Hicks didn’t mince words. He knew the reality for former SU linebacker Derrell Smith. Everything was on the line Wednesday.

‘It was his one shot at it,’ Hicks said.

After undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in January, Smith did not participate in physical activity at the NFL Combine earlier this month. As a result, Wednesday’s pro day was Smith’s one chance to prove to NFL scouts he should be drafted. Smith is considered a fringe draftee who may go in the seventh and final round in April’s NFL Draft.

And everyone who is slightly interested in Smith was at Manley Field House on Wednesday.

‘Because he didn’t work out at the combine, everybody had to be there to get some type of numbers on him,’ Hicks said.

‘Today was basically his combine,’ Hicks added. ‘He did everything. He looked good, his knee felt fine. He felt fine. It was his big day for him.’

Exuding confidence following his workout, Smith said it went well. In his eyes, he did enough to prove to the NFL personnel that he should be drafted. The main questions he needed to answer were with regard to his speed and agility after the knee surgery.

He felt he did that, even if he was up until 2 a.m. Wednesday morning tossing and turning in his bed, struggling to fall asleep due to nerves he compared to the ones he had preceding his first collegiate game for Syracuse.

‘I just wanted to show the scouts I was healthy,’ Smith said. ‘I think I did a good job doing that, getting my explosion back and showing in the drills that I wasn’t favoring my knee at all, and I think I did that.’

Carter further improves already impressive numbers

Hicks said former SU running back and Pinstripe Bowl MVP Delone Carter even further ‘upped’ his numbers from his lauded NFL Combine showing on Wednesday. Carter said he is hearing from scouts that he is considered to go anywhere from the late second to third round.

aolivero@syr.edu

 

Published on March 23, 2011 at 12:00 pm